Loose leaf ring book



May 18, 1937- T. wAlNwRlGH-r LOOSE LEAF RING BOOK Filed June 18, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 1 Malyl 18, 1937 T. wAlNwRlGHT 2,080,450

` LOOSE LEAF RING BooK Filed June 18, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a loose-leaf binder of the ring hook type and concerns itself with a novel and simple structure that can be readily and quickly manipulated and that can be cheaply manufactured, especially through the omission of parts heretofore considered essential.

The invention comprises the novel structure and combination of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred form of this invention and in which similar reference numerals refer to similar features in the different views,

Figure i is a fragmentary interiorA plan view of a loosedeaf binder involving this invention;

Figure 2 is. an enlarged broken sectional View taken upon the line II-II of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken upon the line III- III of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is an enlarged rear plan view of the metal casing for holding the rings, with parts omitted;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary .plan view of the fulcrurn members within the metal casing;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary rear plan view of a modified form of casing and ring hooks;

Figure '7 is an enlarged sectional View taken upon the line VII- VII of Figure 6, rolled to bring the prongs uppermost;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure '7 showing the ring hooks in open position;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary rear plan View of a modied form of metal casing and ring hooks;

Figure 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken upon the line X-X of Figure 9 and rolled to bring the prongs uppermost;

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10 showing the ring hooks in open position; and

Figure 12 is an enlarged sectional view taken upon the line XII-XII of Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a portion of a binder comprising a ilexible covel` member l having a normally curved but ilexible back portion upon which a spring or resilient casing is secured. In Figures 1 to 4, the spring casing is designated by the reference numeral 2, while in Figures 6 to 11, it is designated by the reference 2a. The casings 2 and 2a are substantially alike except that the casing 2a is provided with apertures 3 for a purpose that will later appear.

Each casing consists of an upper curved portion 4 which terminates at its edges in downwardly directed ilanges 5. These casings may be attached to the central portion of the cover in any appropriate way. In the drawings, hollow rivets 6 are shown.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 4, it will be observed that there are confined within the casing 2, a pair of wire rods 1 and 8, each rod having a straight portion 9 that is positioned against a flange 5. The terminals of the straight portions 9 are inwardly oifset into contacting relation as indicated at I0. One of these offset portions I0 at each terminal is provided with a slot II and the other is provided with a tongue I2 engaging in the slot. The flanges 5 exercise an inward yielding pressure against the rods 'I and tend to maintain the offset contacting portions Ill in contacting relation. These contacting portions are also slightly downwardly offset, as shown in Figure 3. It might be mentioned that the tongues I2 and grooves II that the contacting portions can be moved downwardly and upwardly as will later appear. The ends of the offset portions I0 of the rods 'I and 8 terminate in inwardly directed ring hooks I3 which coact as mating prongs for confining loose sheets. The ring hooks extend through suitable apertures in the casing.

Beneath the oifset portions I0 of the rods 1 and 8 and beneath the lowermost edge of the casing 2, there are resilient pads serving as fulcrums I4 which are provided with extensions I5 fastened to the rivets 6. A ilanged washer I6 may surround each rivet for pressing the extension against the back of the iiexible cover l.

In order to open the ring book, it is only necessary to flex the casing 2 downwardly between the rivets 6, a movement which will carry the straight portions 9 of the hook carrying rods 'I and 8 downwardly beyond dead center of the hinge joint between said rods, the yielding pressure of the spring casing acting to snap the jointed portions upwardly and opening the ring hooks. The spring casing 2 is designed to flex for such a purpose. 4

In Figures 6 to 8, the ring hooks I3 and offset portions I0 are similar to the rst form just described, with the exception that they are spaced further apart, making it necessary to use longer supporting rods therebetween. These supporting rods which are designated I1 and I8 have intermediate inwardly offset portions I9 which terminate in outwardly directed loop portions extending over the aforementioned apertures 3. The loop portions 20 may be pressed downwardly have a suciently loose t so l by inserting a finger through the aperture 3. As the contacting portions II) rest upon the pads I4a which may be secured to the member cover, the rods I'I and I 8 move downwardly through the pressure of the flnger'with the result that the ring hooks will spread apart.

I n Figures 9 to l1, the illustrated structure differs from that shown in Figures 6 to 8 only in the linger pieces at the apertures 3. In this form of the invention. the hooks I3 and offset portions II) are supported by rods 2l and 22. The rod 2I has an inwardly extending offset loop forming a linger piece 23 that extends over an aperture 3 upon the opposite side of` the casing. The rod 22 has a loop 24 forming a nger piece 25 extending over an aperture upon the opposite side of the casing. In this form of the invention, the hinged portions III normally rest upon pads Ida and the operation of opening the ring hooks is similar to that of the second form described.

It Will be appreciated that the binder consists of but few parts; namely, a cover, resilient pads, a casing and a pair of wire rods that carry the ring hooks. It can be cheaply manufactured and -assembled and can be easily manipulated.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art and appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a loose leaf binder, a cover member, a casing attached to said cover member and having downwardly directed side flanges, hook carrying rods having portions positioned adjacent Vsaid flanges, and having inwardly directed offset 40 portions in articulated relation, a pad beneath Veach pair of cooperating articulated portions adapted for engagement thereby when said rods are depressed, each rod having'an inwardly directed offset portion forming a finger piece and said casing having apertures above said finger pieces for the purpose set forth.

2. In a loose leaf binder, a cover member, a casing directly attached to said cover member and having downwardly directed side flanges, hook carrying toggle members having articulated portions supported in said casing and having inwardly directed offset finger pieces, said casing having finger apertures above said finger pieces, and pads beneath the articulated portions of said rods for arresting such articulated portions when said nger pieces are depressed for the purpose set forth.

3. In a loose leaf binder, a flexible cover member, a flexible casing riveted to said cover member at spaced points and having downwardly directed flanges at its side edges, a pair of prong carrying rods having outer portions abutting said flanges and inwardly oset portions in articulated relation, and fulcrum pads beneath the oiset portions of said rods secured to said rivets and acting as a fulcrum therefor when said casing is pressed downwardly between said rivets for forcing the outer portions of said rods downwardly.

4. In a loose leaf binder, a flexible cover member, a yieldable casing riveted to said cover member at spaced points, and having downwardly directed flanges, a pair of prong carrying rods having outer portions abutting said anges and having inwardly directed offset portions in articulated relation and a fulcrum pad beneath each pair of articulated offset portions attached to a rivet, said pads acting as fulcrums vfor said offset portions when the outer portions of said arms are depressed by pressure upon said casing between said rivets.

THOMAS WAINWRIGHT. 

